Automatic door operating device



P 1965 KEl YOSHIDA 3,180,162

AUTOHATIEC DOOR OPERATING DEVICE Filed Aug. 16, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Ke/ io-sb/da 4 ATTORNEYS April 27, 1965 KEI YOSHIDA ,1

AUTOMATIC DOOR QPERATING DEVICE Filed Aug. 16, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. el 70 6/) 10 0 w A TTORNEYS April 27, 1965 KE] YOSHIDA AUTOMATIC DOOR OPERATING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 16, 1962 mvzsw roa ke/ l osh/da fili TTORNE) A ril 27, 1965 KEI YOSHIDA 3,180,152

AUTOMATIC DOOR OPERATING DEVICE Filed Aug. 16, 1962 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I NVENTOR.

TTORNEYS United States Patent 3 Claims. ci. 74-209 This invention relates to an auto door and more particularly to a device for automatically opening and closing a door easily, accurately and quietly.

One object of this invention is to provide an automatic door opening and closing device which is simple in construction and operatable noiselessly and accurately.

Another object of this invention is to provide an automatic door opening and closing device in which a rotary disk provided with an elastic member is connected to a gear assembly attached to a door main shaft and the rotary shaft of a motor is pressed onto the elastic member thereby connecting the motor and the door shaft with shock absorbers and performing the opening and closing of the door noiselessly.

Another object of this invention is to provide an auto matic door opening and closing device in which a relatively large rotary disk is disposed between a door main shaft and the rotary shaft of a motor is pressed into contact therewith through an elastic member, thereby obtaining a large reduction ratio and simplifying its structure without employing a complicated reduction gear system composed of many toothed wheels such as heretofore used.

Another object of this invention is to provide an automatic door opening and closing device in which a friction coupling is inserted in a gear device between a door main shaft and the drive shaft of a motor so that when undesirable stresses are produced between the driving shaft and the door main shaft the stress is buffed by the friction coupling thereby safely operating the device without damaging a power transmission assembly.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which,

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the main part of an automatic opening and shutting device of a door illustratin an embodiment of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is its cross-sectional view on the A-A line in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the B-B line in FIGURE 2; 7

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the CC line in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a front view of a disk revolving around a door main shaft;

FIGURE 6 is its cross-sectional view;

FIGURE 7 is a front view of an interlocking disk;

FIGURE 8 is its side view;

FIGURE 9 is an end view of a boss provided with teeth at its end;

FIGURE 10 is its longitudinal cross-sectional view;

FIGURE 11 is a front view of a clutch plate; and

FIGURE 12 is its longitudinal cross-sectional View.

In the drawing, 39 is a casing in which the device of this invention is mounted. 1 is a motor and its righthand end on its axis is so journalled at an axis 26 on a motor support 40 as to move. On the opposite side, a spring 25 is interposed between a spring latch 41 provided on the motor and another latch 42 on the casing, which spring pulls the motor anticlockwise with the axis 26 as a fulcrum. Shaft 2 is a driving shaft of the motor, which 3,180,162 Patented Apr. 27, 1965 is formed in cone-shape and resiliently pressed against the surface of a'rubber friction ring 3 mounted on the surface of a friction disk 4 by the spring 25, thereby transmitting the power of the motor to the friction disk.

Shaft 11 is a door main shaft, the upper end of which is inserted in a bracket 44 provided in a recess 43 of, for example, the lower portion of the door 22 and the lower end of which is supported by a ball bearing 45 provided in the casing 30, which bearing is so constructed as to receive all the weight of the door as a thrust bearing- Above the bearing 45, there is provided another ball bearing 47 in a housing 46. These ball bearings 45 and 47 unitedly support the door main shaft 11 in a predetermined position.

A boss 7 is provided rotatably outside a sleeve 48 of the door main shaft, which boss is provided with teeth 49 at its lower end as shown in FIGURES 9 and 10. Then a spur gear 6 is mounted on the boss 7 by means of screws 4%, engaging this gear with a pinion 5 on the top of a side shaft 50. As previously described, a friction disk 4 is mounted on the side shaft 50, which shaf is supported by a ball bearing 51.

In order to transmit the turning effort of the boss 7 provided with teeth to the door main shaft 11 a friction coupling is employed in this invention. When undesirable stresses are produced on the side of the door the stresses are reduced by this coupling without exerting a bad influence uponthe motor and the transmission gear associated therewith. There are various friction couplings of this kind, one ofwhich will hereinbelow be explained.

The coupling shown in the drawing is provided with a dish-like clutch case including and holding in position a disk 8 engaging with. the teeth 49 of the lower end of the boss 7 and rotatingaround the main door shaft. Friction plates 9 are mounted on both surfaces of this disk. There is an interlocking disk 10 in contact with one side, namely the upper surface of the friction plate and a clutch plate 10 in contact with the lower surface of the friction plate. This clutch plate 10' moves in the direction of the axis of the main door shaft 11 but is so wedged in the direction of its rotation by key 54 as to be connected to the main door shaft. A spring 13 placed between the bottom of the clutch case 12 and the clutch plate 10' is so biased as to press the clutch plate 10" in the direction of the interlocking disk 10.

In order to dispose the spring in position, a proper.

number of holes 53 are made, into which a cup 54 is loosely fitted and then the spring is inserted betweenthe cup 54 and the clutch plate 10. Suitable friction plates 9 such, for example, as cork plates are mounted on side surfaces of the outer periphery of the disk 8 as illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6, which disk is provided with teeth 55 engaging with the teeth 49 of the lower end of the boss and transmitting the rotation. As apparent from FIG- URES 7 and 8, projections56 are formed at the margin of the interlocking disk 10 and these projections 56 are pressed into the clutch case 12 through recesses 57 of the same shape formed on the upper margin of the clutch box 12. Thus, after the disk 8 has been pressed into the clutch case the interlocking disk 10 is so constructed as not to be put out of the clutch case 12 by the ring key 58. The clutch plate 10' is provided with projections 56' at its margin and inserted through the recesses 57 of the clutch case so that the clutch case 12 is rotatably engaged with the main shaft 11. The structure of the above described respective parts in assembly is .as shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, from which relative arrange.-

ment of the parts can easily be understood.

Now I will explain the power transmitting operation of the aforementioned friction coupling. The boss 7 is rotated by the gear '6 and then the disk 8 is also. rotated 3 j by the engagement of the teeth 49 of the boss 7 with the teeth 55 of the disk 8. In this case, the spring 13 pushes up the clutch plate It) with a proper pressure in the direction of its axis and hence the upper surface of the clutch plate presses the friction plate upward. Since the interlocking disk receives this pressure at its position, the disk 8 and the clutch plate 10' are engaged with each other with proper friction by the force of the spring 13, and the turning effort of the disk 8 is transmitted to the clutch plate 10 through this friction, then revolving the door main shaft.

Above the housing 46, a cam is provided on the door main shaft 11, by which a limit switch 21 is operated to turn on and off the motor circuit and to control its speed. To perform this, a plurality of limit switches 21a, 21b, 21c and 21d to be controlled by the cam 20 are provided. Furthermore, an upper shaft is provided on the axis of the main shaft above the door 22, which upper shaft cooperates with the door main shaft 11. The structure of the upper shaft can be of anydesired one and is not essential in this invention, so that its further detailed explanation will be omitted.

It will be appreciated that the aforementioned friction coupling can be inserted atany position in the power transmission device from the motor to the door main shaft.

For example, a door main shaft has a spur gear which will be meshedwith a bevel gear on a shaft perpendicular to the door main shaft and the rotary disk with friction another gear device and the friction coupling can be in-,

terposed between said bevel gear shaft and the latter gear device. a It is, however, preferable to dispose it near the door main shaft as illustrated in the drawing. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the rotary disk, namely friction disk 4 is provided with the'elastic friction plate on its surface, but instead of it other elastic material such as rubber may be fitted onthe motor shaft 2.

The operation of the auto door of this invention will be explained hereinbelow; The motor 1 can be rotated in both directions. Therefore, when the shaft 2 of the motor 1 is pressed onto the friction device 3 by the spring. and rotated, the interlocking of the both members is due to friction and hence the motor can be' rotated very quietly without noise and the power can be transmitted from the motor shaft 2 to the friction disk 4. Thus, with the rotation of the friction disk the pinion 5 and the gear 6 interlocked therewith are rotated and consequently the boss 7 is also rotated to' revolve the clutch plate 10' through the friction coupling, rotating the door main shaft 11. I

In this case, even if a stress is added to the door in the opposite direction to the motion of the door due to the motor with the result that an undesirable stress is generated between the door and the motor, the stress is not transmitted through the friction coupling to the motor side. Accordingly the motor and the power transmission assembly connected thereto are not damaged by such undesirable stress. a

In accordance with this invention, since the motor shaft 2 is in contact with the friction disk 4 and drives it as described above, the rotation ratio can be made large between the two, so that its structure can be more simplified without using a complicated reduction gear provided with many toothed wheels as compared with the case wherein the motor shaft and the door main shaft are directly connected. Furthermore, the motor and the door main shaft are connected by the motor shaft and the friction disk and hence the power can betransmitted very quietly without making noise as ina gear device requiring many toothed wheels.

It will be apparent that many modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic door operating device comprising a door main shaft, a boss rotatably mounted on said door main shaft and provided with teeth at one end, a friction coupling, said friction coupling having a disk engaging with said teeth of said boss and rotating about said door main shaft, a friction plate on the surface of said disk, a clutch plate wedged into said door main shaft so as to i be engaged therewith in the direction of rotation, said clutch plate being in contact with the surface of said friction plate, a spring pressing said clutch plate to said friction plate, a rotary disk, a second friction plate attached to said rotary disk, a pivotally mounted motor, spring means pressing the rotary shaft of said motor onto said second friction plate of said rotary disk, and power transmission means for transmitting torque from said rotary disk to said boss on said door main shaft.

2. An automatic door operating device comprising a door main shaft, a gear rotatably mounted about said door main shaft, a boss provided with teeth at one end and rotating with said gear about said door main shaft, a friction coupling, said friction coupling having a disk engaging with said teeth of said. boss and rotating about said door main shaft, a pair of friction plates attached on both surfaces of said disk, a clutch plate wedged onto said door main shaft so as to be engaged therewith in the direction of rotation, said clutch plate being in contact with the surface of one of said friction plates, a second clutch plate disposed about said boss and in contact with the surface of the other of said friction plates, a clutch box, a plurality of springs mounted on said clutch box for pressing said first mentioned clutch plate to said friction plate, said second clutch plate being pressed on the inner peripheral surface of said clutch box by means of said springs, a second shaft, a pinion provided on said second shaft and engaging with said gear, a rotary disk mounted on the axis of said pinion, a motor mounted for pivotal movement, an elastic. friction plate provided on one surface of said rotary disk and arranged to be driven by said motor, and a spring device for elastically pressing the rotary shaft of said motor onto said elastic friction plate. A

3. An' automatic door operating device comprising a. doormain shaft, a gear rotatably mounted on said door main shaft, a boss provided with teeth on one end and rotating with said gear around said door main shaft, a friction coupling, said friction coupling having a disk engaging with said teeth of said boss and rotating about said door main shaft, a pair of friction plates attached on both surfaces of said disk, an interlocking disk contacting one outer surface of said friction plate, a clutch plate contacting the other outer surface of said friction plate and moving in the axial direction of said door main shaft, but being wedged onto said door main shaft so as to be connected therewith in the directionof rotation, a spring means for pressing said clutch plate in the direction of said interlocking disk, a second shaft, a pinion mounted onsaid second shaft and engaging with said gear, a rotary disk mounted on the axis of said pinion, a pivotally mounted motor having a drive shaft extending therefrom, an elastic friction ring disposed on one surface of said rotary disk and contacting the shaft of said motor, and a spring device resiliently pressing the drive shaft of said motor onto said elastic friction ring.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,357,712 11/20 Kok 74194 X 2,244,121 6/41 Schneider 74-206 2,843,376 7/58 Osuch et al. 268-33 X 2,855,940 10/58 Milleville et al 64-30 X 3,087,720 4/63 Catlctt 26865 DON A. WAITE, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN AUTOMOTIC DOOR OPERATING DEVICE COMPRISING A DOOR MAIN SHAFT, A BOSS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID DOOR MAIN SHAFT AND PROVIDED WITH TEETH AT ONE END, A FRICTION COUPLING, SAID FRICTION COUPLING HAVING A DISK ENGAGING WITH SAID TEETH OF SAID BOSS AND ROTATING ABOUT SAID DOOR MAIN SHAFT, A FRICTION PLATE ON THE SURFACE OF SAID DISK, A CLUTCH PLATE WEDGED IN SAID DOOR MAIN SHAFT SO AS TO BE ENGAGED THEREWITH IN THE DIRECTION OF ROTATION, SAID CLUTCH PLATE BEING IN CONTACT WITH THE SURFACE OF FRICTION PLATE, A SPRING PRESSING SAID CLUTCH PLATE TO SAID FRICTION PLATE, A ROTARY DISK, A SECOND FRICTION PLATE ATTACHED TO SAID ROTARY DISK, A PIVOTALLY MOUNTED MOTOR, SPRING MEANS PRESSING THE ROTARY SHAFT OF SAID MOTOR ONTO SAID SECOND FRICTION PLATE OF SAID ROTARY DISK, AND POWER TRANSMISSION MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING TORQUE FROM SAID ROTARY DISK TO SAID BOSS ON SAID DOOR MAIN SHAFT. 